HEADLIGHTS ON when its nasty out...

[DHD]

I am noticing more vehicles which have brighter DRLs and there can be too much glare,
and I have to look towards the right hand side of the road as the vehicle approaches and goes by.
I drive a sub-compact vehicle (Honda Fit). Maybe folks who drives a taller vehicle like a pickup truck or suv would not experience the same amount of glare.
Some pickups and suvs that approach from behind can be real problem too,
and I have to adjust my rear view mirror to night setting.
Most of the time I just leave the mirror on night setting.
The problem with DRLs is that they are getting brighter....
...to the point that they're becoming a hazard.
My Honda Fit had DRL, and I pulled the fuse to disable the DRL.

 

[3930dave]

Some people want lighting off, to save fuel. They don't know, or care about the visibility factors.

The fuel savings issue pretty much goes away, with the automotive LED lighting available now.

Rgds, D.

 

[jlgurr]

Some people want lighting off, to save fuel. They don't know, or care about the visibility factors. The fuel savings issue pretty much goes away, with the automotive LED lighting available now. Rgds, D.

LOL! Reminds me of high school when a buddy of mine was real low on fuel and was afraid he wouldn't make it to the station. With every serious bone in his body asked me if I would mind if he turned off the heat to save fuel. He was driving a CJ-5 with a 318 and three speed. I said, yeah sure no problem. I'll just put my gloves and scarf on. (I mean it was January in Michigan, after all.)


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[bcp]

Long ago, an acquaintance drove to town at about 20 over the speed limit so she could get there before she ran out of gas.

Bruce

 

[jix]

We must remember a lot of people you meet driving an auto have yet to turn their brain on - let alone head lights or wipers. And for a lot of them it will be a lost cause.

>smirk<

 

[Danno1]

LOL! Reminds me of high school when a buddy of mine was real low on fuel and was afraid he wouldn't make it to the station. With every serious bone in his body asked me if I would mind if he turned off the heat to save fuel. He was driving a CJ-5 with a 318 and three speed. I said, yeah sure no problem. I'll just put my gloves and scarf on. (I mean it was January in Michigan, after all.)


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Long ago, an acquaintance drove to town at about 20 over the speed limit so she could get there before she ran out of gas.

Bruce

...priceless! :laughing:


.

 

[paulfun9]

3930dave:

High beam can blind oncoming drivers in the day time, too. Just not as bad.

I Highly agree!!

I have personally been blinded during the daylight by a motorcycle with its High beam on during the day! I was on My Triumph coming out of a tree covered road and he was just entering into the shaded area and blinded me momentarily enough to actually loose the road for an instant. Luckily I was able to get the bike back off the burm without loosing it and hitting anything but I Have NO RESPECT for anyone who runs with High beams on when traffic is approaching no matter the time of day or night! Some people have argued that it dosnt bother or blind anyone but I have to differ with that and say HERE I AM I AM SOMEONE AND IT HAS BLINDED ME AND ENDARNGERED ME SO DONT DO IT!!!!!!!

 

[Looking4new]

I think my biggest pet peeve with on coming high beam headlights is railroads with the track parallel to the road. The oncoming trains with all 4 headlights on coming at you from the right....BLINDING! They usually get my spotlights (100 watts) back at them. What are they afraid of? Falling off the tracks?

 

[3930dave]

Trains run lights-on because people cross the tracks directly in front of them.

We can speculate about Darwinism, gene pool, etc...... but that tells you all you really need to know about what's out there. The reality is (at least around here) that there are plenty of drivers who have little regard for their own safety, let alone anyone else's.

They're also looking for washed out track, rockslides, debris placed on the track....

Rgds, D.

 

[Looking4new]

I am one of the people you mention running illegal lights. As soon as I see a vehicle approaching from the front or side I turn my spots off. At night, you pass me and I have my spots on, as soon as you get beside me, the spots are shut off. I have 4, 100 watt lights pointing to the front of the Jeep. With the big truck I only have two, but they are on top of the mirror brackets and cover both ditches.

 

[paulfun9]

I have read and re-read the vehicle code and it makes no exception for when the High beam should be turned off when approaching an oncoming car or coming into town or poupulated areas based on day or night use. Basically it reads the same for both as it does not separate the use from day to night.

An emergency vehicle would have also been using those lights in combination with a siren alerting me to approach with caution ! Thus my immediate reaction would have been to slow down below the speed limit rather than at it and be more prepared for an unexpected event! DO you have a blaring siren on your bike to alert others you are going to momentarily blind them? I doubt it!

I understand the problems we all face especially with bikes out on the roads with these nuts running around but adding to that by taking a chance that even once your high beam could affect an other riders or drivers vision just enough for them to loose the road and possibly crash isn't going to help any! What happens if the driver is in a pic up truck and as they loose sight decide to turn away from the known trees just a bit instead of trying to hold that imaginary line and risk it? They might well just pop out into your lane enough to cause you to wreck anyway defeating the hole reason for running it on high to begin with!
I promise you one thing if its me coming in the truck I wont swerve away and will only hope that I didn't misjudge the distance. Meaning if you get hit because you blinded me on a twisty road day or night I wont loose any sleep knowing you brought it upon yourself!

 

[drizler]

I just can't for the life of me wonder how in the world anyone gets blinded by a high beam motorcycle light sufficient to cause them the slightest danger during daylight hours. All I can say is if you see something like that don't stare at it which is most likely the cause of your issue. The main reason why anyone rides with high beams on in the first place is to wake up the otherwise , punk kid, old far, soccer mom with a minivan full of brats, pissed off menopausal woman or your everyday random drunk sitting there ahead of you. That's the statistical main cause of most regular bike accidents. A guy i used to know taught motorcycle safety. He had this article in a bike mag called "The Fatal Front". It went on to explain how the vast majority of all fatal (regular, not mach 2) accidents came out of a 30 degree cone centered on the front of the bike. That's where most of the folks I mentioned in the previous sentence will come from when they clobber you. Turning right on red, blowing a stop sign or yield, turning left ect....thats where the chief danger lies and all you can do about it is be as visible as possible as you to a major extent are at their mercy. It doesn't really matter who's fault it was if you're smashed like a pancake.
If you drive fast and weave in and out of traffic you need it all the more and in the end it probably won't save you anyways.
On the other hand low beam isn't all that visible in bright daylight . I' always ran my bike on high beam in the day time and for just that reason and I would today if I just hadn't given it up for a variety of reasons.

 

[3930dave]

Code here is different than yours. Lights are required at night (obviously), and any other time there is limited visibility (ex. fog). I don't run MC high beams against oncoming traffic under those conditions.

168. When on a highway at any time when lighted lamps are required to be displayed on vehicles, the driver of a motor vehicle equipped with multiple beam headlamps shall use the lower or passing beam when,

(a) approaching an oncoming vehicle within 150 metres; or

(b) following another vehicle within 60 metres, except when in the act of overtaking and passing. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 168.

Be well on the road Paul.

Rgds, D.

 

[paulfun9]

Drizzler At one time I would have argued in favor of the High beam until my experience, I would not have believed it myself. No I don't satre at lights from oncoming cars or bikes at day or night. I have been riding for a long time, started before I entered grade school and have been a licensed active street rider since I was 16 so I am not a novice at all. Actually quite the opposite, I could go on to boast about my credentials but they have no real bearing on this subject except for bragging rights.
The problem is running in the shadows for the most part and after the incident I actually did some tests with the High beam during the day. I was surprised to find that when running with it on I got flashed from many drivers and lots of dirty looks from others. I also found that even staying back from cars out front with it on caused them to drive in a somewhat defensive manner just as they would at night.

Just as it was suggested to me that maybe I am going to fast for the hazards out there maybe those who ride with the High beam on should slow down to a speed that is more comfortable for them and they wont need the High beam because they would be able to avoid all the bad things that happen on the road, or maybe give up their bike altogether and stay in their car or truck where they are safe!

 

[3930dave]

I am one of the people you mention running illegal lights. As soon as I see a vehicle approaching from the front or side I turn my spots off. At night, you pass me and I have my spots on, as soon as you get beside me, the spots are shut off. I have 4, 100 watt lights pointing to the front of the Jeep. With the big truck I only have two, but they are on top of the mirror brackets and cover both ditches.

I've spent time driving up north, and out east - seen deer and moose, knock wood, haven't hit any. Plenty of people hit deer near where I live in Central Ont.

I understand why you are running that way at night 'new. I don't consider what you are doing to be an issue, as you are using aux lighting in an intelligent way.

The worst problem around here usually is when somebody plays with the stock headlights - messes with with the reflector/aiming, or drops in a non-standard bulb.

I know some cars with factory HID systems have a level/horizon sensor - helps the HID beams follow the road, and prevents blinding oncoming traffic at night. If that sensor goes out, the factory lights should be defaulted to point down. After-market HID systems are often not that complicated - these ones can be some of the worst offenders if mis-aimed.

Rgds, D.

 

[Looking4new]

I have found over the years that with most new and a lot of used cars the headlights are not aimed properly right from the dealer. That just adds to the aggravation.

 

[DHD]

If I remember correctly.
Back in the late 60's and early 70's when I was in the Navy and stationed in Florida,
headlights were checked to insure they were aimed properly during the yearly automobile inspection.

 

[Looking4new]

In ontario there is no yearly inspection. A used vehicle needs a 'safety certificate' for the ownership/title to be transferred as 'fit' therefore able to be licensed. Other than that there is no other inspection needed. (This is for passenger cars and pickup trucks.) Big trucks and buses are a different thing.